Disclaimer: I don’t own Witch Hunter Robin. Now on to the real reason anybody reads these disclaimers…
Amon: Are you calling me dense?
Puff: Thanks for the confirmation, Amon.
Amon: {looks angry}
Kitsune: {giggling}She got you, Amon, on that one. You fell right into that trap.
Amon: {facial twitching}
Puff: {beaming}
Chapter Twenty-Six: When Will This End?
Amon sat uncomfortably in STN-J headquarters, rudely ignoring anyone who dared to pester the hunter when he had such a dark aura swirling about his form. His near-black eyes were pinned onto his watch, painstakingly watching the second hand tick closer to the twelve. He smiled to himself as the clock hands twitched and the time turned to eleven.
“He’s late. I knew he would be late,” Amon stated loudly, causing everyone else in the office to turn and stare at him. The cold man glared, everyone quickly returning to their tasks. One minute after eleven, Amon’s cell phone rang.
“Before you say anything at all,” Nagira said in a warning tone, “I called your house at eleven exactly. You can check your caller id if you’d like. I just wanted you to know I wasn’t late in calling you.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything; you shouldn’t be so suspicious,” Amon said casually, leaning back in his chair, “So, Older Brother, how are you going to torture me today?” He turned his back to the others in the office, not quite wanting any of them to over hear his conversation.
“I wouldn’t call what I’m doing for you ‘torture’,” Nagira protested, “The next girl is named Sakura. She has nice light brown hair and beautiful green eyes. Kind of like your Robin’s eyes, though not nearly as lovely. I actually picked her for the shade of her eyes. I really think that you’re going to like her eyes. I know that I do.”
“Nagira, you’re rambling,” Amon said piercingly, hissing into the phone, “Where do I have to meet her?” The lawyer sighed loudly, obviously a sigh that meant he threw himself wearily into his desk chair.
“Always so direct, Amon; perhaps that’s why you can’t get a girlfriend yourself,” Nagira said cheerfully, cursing himself for not being able to see Amon’s face. The hunter’s free hand curled into a tight fist, his fingernails nearly breaking the skin on his palms. His dark gray eyes narrowed into mere slits and he had a look about him like the next person to come near him would die a painfully slow death.
“I don’t want to take the time,” Amon snarled, almost smashing the small phone clutched in his hands, “Just tell me where to meet her and leave me alone.”
“A little bit of appreciation would be nice, Amon; I’m doing this only because you’re my baby brother,” Nagira explained brightly, his voice akin to one you would use with a toddler, “Just go down to the nearest street where a lot of racing takes place, turn left after four blocks, go another two blocks and turn right. You can’t miss it; gigantic black building. Go the main entrance, and go to the basement club. I’m sure you’ll fit in just perfectly.”
“What do you mean by that?” Amon questioned suspiciously, thoroughly wary about anywhere his brother was going to send him.
“I’m sure you’ll be able to figure it out when you get there. I hope that you enjoy yourself and you don’t make this girl cry like you made Keiko-chan cry. She called me this morning and told me everything,” Nagira stated, his voice resonating with mock disappointment. The lawyer hung up his phone just as Amon began to speak, effectively cutting the already edgy hunter off.
“I’m leaving,” Amon explained sharply as he stood and started to walk out of the office. He had already slipped into his heavy trench coat when Robin stopped him, her delicate form blocking his way out of the door.
“Amon, we have to go do a sweep of the city,” Robin objected, her voice containing hints of annoyance, “You already missed the briefing last night. At least tell us where you’re going, so we can find you easily.”
“It’s none of your business, Robin,” Amon snapped harshly, his dark eyes shadowed behind his hair. The craft user’s emerald orbs flashed briefly with fear before she angrily stalked off. Amon, completely stunned at her reaction, watched her settle down at her computer before he rushed out of the office.
“Daddy has a date,” Javan supplied cheerfully, causing all of the hunters to stare at the small child, “Uncle Nagira set it up.” Javan beamed at her ability to share the helpful information. She flounced off to go play with her toys, black pigtails bouncing against her head.
“Oh God,” Amon hissed under his breath as he walked into the club, staring at all of the Goth kids lounging in the smoky room, “Nagira thought that I would fit in here?” Of course, he fit in quite well. The only colors that were worn in the dim place were mere shades away from being pure black.
The hunter inched his way through the club, careful not to step on any of the darkly dressed people sitting on the floor. He glared at the sparse black lights, tiny tea candles, and flickering oil lamps. The tables were draped with a shimmering black crepe material, as were the walls that Amon could see properly. Decorative skulls, skeleton statues, coffins, crosses, and knives were strewn on every flat surface that didn’t have someone laying on it.
“You’re new here; a little older than our usual clientele, though,” the woman behind the bar stated when Amon had arrived there, setting the glass she had been cleaning down on the tiled surface in front of her, “Of course, that can be very good. Can I get you something to drink?”
“No,” Amon said flatly, leaning against the counter, “I’m supposed to meet someone here.” The woman laughed, staring at Amon in amusement.
“Good luck; you’d have an easier time finding someone out on the streets, when they’re trying to escape you, than you would in this place. Perhaps I can help you; I know most of the people in here. But why would you want to deal with the hassle of looking for your friend when you’d have a much better time if you just stayed and talked with me?” she flirted, batting her eyes at the slightly disturbed hunter. Amon shifted backwards a fraction of an inch, glancing around at the poorly lit club.
“Her name is Sakura, she has light brown hair and green eyes,” Amon explained hurriedly, growing uncomfortable around the woman. Her eyes were pinned on him in a manner he didn’t quite like. She kept licking her blood red lips, revealing her shining fake fangs.
“Doesn’t sound familiar. You should just stay here. I can make it worth your time,” the woman stated seductively, leaning towards Amon. The hunter instantaneously put a distance between them, his dark eyes angrily glowing. She pouted, crossing her arms over her embroidered silver bodice and obviously upset over the fact the hunter wasn’t falling for her.
“I’d rather leave. I’ll just have Nagira arrange for me to meet her somewhere else,” Amon stated coldly, turning away. He had just started to walk off when he felt a hand clamp around his upper arm. The woman had left the bar to stop him.
“Did you say Nagira?” she asked, sounding quite worried. Amon rolled his eyes, peeling her fingers off of him.
“Yes; he’s my older brother,” the hunter explained coldly, glancing over his sleeve to make sure that her long sharpened nails hadn’t damaged the material. Her eyes grew wide at his words, glowing with an apologetic light.
“You should have said something about your older brother. He called earlier, but he didn’t say that his baby brother would be so handsome. The girl is right over there. I’ll show you the way, and anything you want to eat or drink is on the house for the inconvenience,” she said hurriedly, ushering the slightly confused hunter towards a row of private tables.
“Why would mentioning Nagira have made a difference?” Amon inquired suspiciously, pinning the woman with one of his iciest glares.
“Because then I would have linked you with the girl and none of this little mix up would have happened,” she elucidated edgily, speaking with the same caution one uses when walking out on a frozen river, “You can’t really blame me for wanting to keep the good-looking ones for myself, but I have very direct instructions not to interfere with you and the girl.” One of Amon’s eyebrows rose slightly, but he didn’t have any more time to interrogate her further as they had reached the secluded table.
“Sakura, I brought you your date,” the woman said nicely, beaming at the vaguely distracted girl.
“I noticed that you took your time with him; it almost looked like you were flirting,” Sakura said accusingly, her vivid green eyes flashing with resentment, “And after Nagira gave you all of those careful instructions. I suppose I’ll have to tell him what’s happened here.” Amon cautiously sat down in his chair, watching the exchange with a sense that he was left out on something important.
“I really don’t think that would be necessary,” the woman soothed, forcing herself to smile brightly. Sakura turned away, sighing loudly as she toyed with her precisely tousled locks. The woman looked like she had something else to say as she bit her tongue and rushed back to the bar, leaving a pair of menus in the glow of the white candles.
“We haven’t been properly introduced yet. I’m Sakura and you’re better than Nagira ever described,” Sakura cooed, grinning at the hunter. When Amon didn’t respond at all, let alone with a return compliment, her smile fell away. She sipped at her glass, which contained a red wine.
“I suppose that you prefer cheap coquettes like that barmaid,” Sakura snapped after a moment’s silence, “So a well-bred lady like me wouldn’t be to your liking. Too bad.”
“What do you mean by that?” Amon asked, keeping his voice void of the murderous tone he knew that he wanted to use. Sakura rolled her green eyes, the lovely color quickly growing disgusting with her poor attitude.
“I was just saying that you seemed to be more interested in that hussy than me,” Sakura explained harshly, waving her hand pointedly in the general direction of the bar, “Perhaps she’s more like your type. You seem like the kind who wouldn’t take to a nice girl. The type who doesn’t like relationships; the type who would leave a girl because you saw someone with a shorter skirt.”
“Now that’s uncalled for,” Amon said coolly, “You don’t even know me.”
“All men are the same. Only a few are worth the time, and you don’t look like one of them,” Sakura growled, downing the rest of her wine, “The only reason I agreed to this is because Nagira asked me to. Why don’t you go back over to that barmaid?”
“I’m more likely to leave,” Amon stated impersonally, narrowing his near-black eyes into glittering slits. He stood up, grateful that this girl was just going to let him leave without any incident. He straightened his trench coat, but it was promptly un-straightened when Sakura wound her hand around the hem in an attempt to pull Amon back into his chair.
“I…I’m sorry. Don’t leave; not yet. I’ve been having a really bad week, and I guess I took it out on you. I’ll try to explain, if you’ll let me,” Sakura whimpered, her green eyes clouding with tears. Amon, against all his better judgment, replaced himself into his chair.
“You have five minutes before I leave,” Amon snapped, glancing at his watch to be sure of the time. Sakura wearily nodded, wiping her eyes with the edge of her sleeve.
“Let me just say that you seem like a nice guy, especially since you’re going to take the time to listen to a sob story from a girl you just met,” Sakura cooed, smiling sadly at the hunter.
“I’m doing this because I promised my brother I wouldn’t make you cry,” Amon half-lied, remembering the conversation he had with Nagira earlier in the day. In reality, Amon was just curious why he had been so rudely insulted.
“Thanks, I think,” Sakura responded, brushing her semi-short light brown hair off of her face, “I was being rude to you, like saying that you were only interested in the barmaid because she was a cheap flirt, because of my boyfriend. I mean, my ex-boyfriend. He left me for a girl that could pass as a prostitute. But it was all for the better since he had been cheating on me for a really long time. I guess I’m just in the mindset that all men are out to hurt me.”
“I really don’t need to hear anymore,” Amon said sharply, clearly unsettled with the way the conversation was going, “You should probably tell this to one of your girlfriends.” He glanced around, preparing once again to leave.
“You can leave now. I know that you don’t like me,” Sakura cried, tears pouring from her emerald eyes, “I’m just an unlikable person, and I know it. I’m a horrible, mean, rude person. Just go and leave me alone.” Amon took that as an invitation to leave and escaped from the table.
“Hey, I noticed things didn’t go so well. I can give you my number,” the woman behind the counter offered, holding out a personalized calling card. Amon shook his head, rushing as fast as he could through the poorly lit club. This time, he didn’t bother not to step on people so quite a few of upset shouts followed his getaway.
“Nagira, this one didn’t go very well,” Amon explained into his cell phone as he wandered down the street to where he parked his car.
“Really, I thought that Sakura would have been good for you,” Nagira said brightly, “I have another one lined up for tomorrow.”
“No, Nagira, that’s all right. I don’t want to go through this again,” Amon stated coolly, unlocking the driver’s side door and climbing into his seat. He wearily let his head slump backwards, his ebony hair falling away from his pale face.
“I thought that you wanted to find a mother for Javan,” Nagira said innocently, “Are you just going to give up?”
“Robin, since it seems she already accepted the roll, will make a fine mother for Javan,” Amon said flatly, massaging his temples with his free hand, “Until I can find a wife on my own, that is.”
“Are you sure?” Nagira questioned in a mock-concerned voice, “It is true that Robin is rather young and her life is always at risk. Do you think that it’s a good idea?” Amon smiled slightly at his brother’s attempt to tease him.
“Nagira, you’ve been trying to force Robin on me since you met her and now you’re trying to pull her away? Robin seems to be a good roll model for Javan, she seems fine with the responsibility, and she’s a strong girl,” Amon explained proudly, “She’s very mature for her age and I’m happy with the progress she’s made at the STN-J.” The second he finished speaking, Amon’s dark gray eyes widened as he realized what he had said.
“Well, well, Amon, it seems that you’ve been hiding your true feelings about Robin all this time. You actually like her,” Nagira teased, laughing lightly at his brother’s expense.
“She’s my hunting partner, so I trust her,” Amon snapped, “I suppose I could consider her a friend.”
“I thought so; don’t worry, I won’t blab about this little chat,” Nagira chuckled, “I suppose I should let you get back to your witch hunting.” Amon hung up, slipping the phone into one of his coat pockets. He shook his head to clear his hazily clouded mind, started the car, and pulled out on the busy city streets so he could get back to the office.